WSJ: Tracy Reese Talks About the Importance of Diversity in the Fashion Industry

If you have a slow connection or can't play the video. Here is what she said:

I remember seeing other shows and being disappointed or waiting..."Are they going to have a black girl? Are they going to have a black girl? Are they going to have an Asian girl? [Will] there be anything besides white girls?"

What we see on the runway is picked up by advertisers, it's picked up by editorial in magazines. You know, it's obviously being seen by a younger and younger audience. I think of the general public and especially young people, if they only see one idea of beauty then that gives them...a very awful self-image.

It's like, 'the world doesn't accept me the way I am.' You can't overcome this, meaning what you are born with. I think we have to teach children to embrace who they are, their size, their color, their hair texture, whatever it may be.

I've seen my buyers select models that are similar to the ones I've used on the runway to advertise our clothing in their catalogs or in their stores.

They take cues from designers because they want to interpret your vision, you know, when they show your collection to their customers. I think there is all the more reason for we as designers to be really thoughtful and remember that the customer base is broad. I don't think we should deal in people like they are commodities or trends. I think awareness of how it feels to be on the other side of that has to be more broadly based.

Everyone has something whether they are a model or a regular woman walking down the street. I think I'm always interested in that thing that makes you unique or an individual.

S: Wall Street Journal